HeliOffshore Publishes Version 2 Recommended Practices for Wind Farm Operations
Today, 29 August 2023, HeliOffshore published Version 2 of its Wind Farm Recommended Practice Report, highlighting key safety guidance and considerations for offshore wind farm helicopter operations.
With the increasing use of helicopters to support offshore wind farms, HeliOffshore published its first Wind Farm Recommended Practice Report in 2021. The report provided offshore wind developers, operating companies, and helicopter operators, with guidance to ensure appropriate safety requirements and suitable interfaces are defined between organisations operating in the sector.
Today’s updated and expanded report builds on the previous version, including valuable new guidance for cargo helicopter hoist operations to and from vessels supporting windfarms.
The new recommended practices also outlines the benefits of hoist mission simulator training, provides updates to the Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) section, and includes a new chapter outlining the challenges and associated flight planning considerations relating to helicopter oil and gas transportation flights in the proximity of wind farms.
This latest report has been compiled by HeliOffshore’s Wind Farm working group, which includes representatives from global helicopter operators, aircraft manufacturers, energy companies, and wind turbine manufacturers.
Jim Evans, Operations Director, HeliOffshore, said: “Collaboration is at the heart of empowering safety across the industry. The additions to our recommended practice for wind farm operations is another significant example of how representatives from across our industry, from across the world, continue to come together to share best practices with the aim of ensuring no lives are lost in offshore aviation.”
Lee Harris, Chairperson of the HeliOffshore Wind Farm Working Group, added: “Through collaboration with stakeholders across the industry, the Windfarm Recommended Practices continue to support the sector in safely realising the benefits of helicopters for offshore wind operations. This latest iteration of our recommended practices reflects the considerable experience gained in recent years while operating helicopters in this evolving sector. We are committed to expanding and regularly updating this document to provide guidance that reflects ongoing developments and the sector's continuous growth and advancement.”
The report is available on the HeliOffshore website here Wind Farms Recommended Practice — HeliOffshore